Piano player



C. H. SPENCER.

PIANO PLAYER.

` APPLICATIQN FILED 14m13.191s.

Patented July 18, 1922.

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Mmm/1to1 nl 'will `IzlRLES H. SPENCER, `0]? BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO H.

BALTIMORE,

s. DULANEY, 0F MARYLAND.

PIANO PLA-YER.

` Applicatilon lerdMiay 13,

To AZZ whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CriARL-us HySrENonR, a citizen ot the United States 4ol America, residing in the city ot Ealtimore, State ot Maryland, have invented'certain new and use'iul Improvements in Piano Players, 'of which the tollowing isa specification.

In the present condition oi the piano player art, a 'fair degree of perfection in operation having been secured, new developments relate largely to leconomy ot space, accessibility, and a convenient arrangement of the pneumatic units which 'will not interfere. with'manual 'or keyoperation of the piano.

By this invention I have produced a new type of player, in which these. objects have been accomplished andwhich embodies other important improvements. The player units, including 'the pneumatics or bellows, are mounted in the rear ends ot the keys or key levers, the same being cut away for this purpose, and substituted by a rirame which takes the place of the cut away portion oft the keys, and within which the pneumatics are mounted, i. e., the key corresponding to each note of the piano to be operated by the player carries'the bellows or pneumatic unit which operates that note.

The motion, due to the contraction of the bellows when itis connected vto the'vwind chest, is communicated vto the wippen preferably by means of a combination oi levers. Normally, when the pneumatic is not inoperation, ythe lever or member which :is directly in contact with the wippen, rests on the aforesaid rigid frame, so that in manual playing as the extension trame is 'lifted when the key is pressed, the lever resting upon it carryingvthe wippen is lifted with it as a rigid structure, giving the key its ordinaryl eti'ect and operation. independently ot the pneumatic. In other words, the presence ot the pneumatic does not interfere with the operation oit the keys, and the use ot the keys does not interfere with the eil'ectiveness of the pneumatic.

Y Further than this, applicants as included in the presenttype ot player, has been redesigned and changed to include novel 'features and combinations of features. Particularly, the bleeder opening in the diaphragm has been many times enlarged, and `the tongue' which communicates the motion of the diaphragm to the valves carries a pneumatic Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1s, 1922. 1919. semaine. 296,918.

valve member, or acts as a valve to close the bleeder opening at thedesired periods, to make the operation of the diaphragm effec* tive. This gives vquicker action, which is important in repeat notes and like instances.

The wind chest is placed beneath the pneumatics and keys and is connected to the pneumatics by Hexible rubber tubing, the `connection being conveniently accessible by way of a removable bottom board. The motion oi the pneumatic, which results from .its connection to the vacuum in the wind chest, is communicated to the wippen -by means of a series of levers which multiply the motion ot the pneumatic; that is, there is anv arm secured tothe bottom plate ot the bellowsextending backward from what may be termed the pivotal or inner end of this plate. This arm at its extremity engages an uprightconnecting rod, which at its upper end engages a lever which extends forward `over the end `of the key extension 'frametos ward the fulcrum of the key, being pivoted or hinged at its forward end on the extension frame intermediately ot its length. The wippen engages this lever trom above, and the key frame carries a support upon which this lever rests when the bellows is in eX- tended or inoperative position. Contraction of the bellows by connecting` it tothe wind chest operates the note through thel levers and wippen, and when the bellows is 'free and not so contracted, pressure on the keyl operates it in the ordinary way, carrying the lever which engages the' wippen upf- 90 as it the whole ward, and playing the note 'structure were integral.

In theaccompanying drawing I haveillustrated a series ot' pneumatics embodying the various features ot4 my invention in the -form in `which they have been developed.

Figure l is a vertical, longitudinal section sl'iowing a key tragmentarily, and the manner of applying my player thereto, also including the details of 'a player unit.

Figure 2 is a plan view `oi a series of keys, fragmentarily shown, with vthe pneumatics operating the same. i

.Figure 3 is an elevation oi the end of the U shaped key container iframe, looking from line 3, 3 'ot Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, the key l is shown as itulcrumed at 2 on a pivot pin 3 in the usual manner. The key as previouslyV constructed Aextends backward beyond and beneath the wippen at et. In

' the present instance, however, the keys are cut away as indicated on the irregular line 5 and for the rea-r end is substituted a. closed 'frame G which may be made of a sheet metal band. Roughly. speaking, this is in the 'form oit o U lying on its side.

Nithin each frame is a player unit corresponding to the key to which the trame is secured, and so arranged that the frame and player' unit take the place of the cut away portion of the key. Ilach such player unit includes a bellows or pneumatic S with the usual valves and passages and the means for operating the valves, also the diaphragm and the diaphragm chamber. More specilically, the diaphragm chamber' 9 as shown and preferably is formed in the contacting surfaces of two plates, a top plate i() and a bottom plate ll. To this plate 'l1 the upper stationary side .l2 of the bellows is secured. The three members l0, ll and 19 together' form a rigid structure, which is 'tastened to the trame by screws 13 and la, the orward end of the diaphragm chamber plate Il() being seated in the key at l5. The diaphragm chamber 9 has the `flexible diaphragm I6 secured therein by clamping the edges oli the fabric between the two plates or members 10 and 11 where they meet in the walls o't' the chamber. The motion ot the diaphragm .is communicated to the valves by means of a tongue or lever I7 pivoted at i8, the end o'l'" this tongue remote from the pivot engaging the depending pin or stem 19 of the lower valve 2l ot a pair ot valves 2i, Afrom below, the upper valve 2Q being in the present instance actuated by and from the lower valve: by means olf a depending pin 22%.

The regular operation or the dialihragm whereby it is caused to open the valve letting the facuum `trom the wind chest into the bellows, then permitting the valve to close, is well iinderstood, the closing of the valves being alternate. The recovery ot the diaphragm has ordinarily been accomplished by a small bleeder opening', which permits air to pass at all times. causing the diaphragm to recover, owing to the leakage, soon alter the outside air pressure is cut oil). The action is not, however, quick enough to provide for repeat notes o'll the high frequency with which they are produced by some pianists. In the present insta nce quicker action is provided by means olf a comparatively large opening` in the diaphragm in the place ot the old blender opening, which opening is closed when the diaphragm is subject to outside pressi-ire., and opened to permit quick recovery when outside pressure is cut ott. In other words. l. provide a large air escape opening 24rin thc diaphragm, which is closed by contact olf the diaphragm with the tongue I7, shuttin o'tll the liow of air almost entirely and preventing unnecessary loss, and giving quicker action by larger lflow when release is desired. Preferably there is valve or cover Vtor the opening mounted at on the tongue.

In the present instance the portion oit the diaphragm chamber beneath the diapl'iragm is connected to the corresponding point in the tracker bar by tubes 2T and the wind chest Q8, which, as shown, is beneath the keys, and is connected to the upper halll of the diaphragm chamber by a metal and flexible connection 29 the same consisting of nipples 30 one for each unit arranged along the wind chest, corresponding elbows or nipples 3l one Ytor each unit connected to the upper haltl ot the diaphragm chamber, and rubber tubes or unions 32 joining the nipples 30 and These may be conveniently disconnected when it is desired to remove the keys, access to this portion o the player being had Yfrom beneath through a hand hole or space vtermed by removing one ot the bottom boards at 33. Leading from the bellows 8 is the passage 341-. This is connected by the valve passa 'e 20 to the diaphragm chamber abo y'c the diaphragm, and by a passage 35 to the outside air. Both the passage into the diaphragm chamber and the passage to vthe outside air are controlled by correspoinling valves 21 and 22, as already described. That is, when the diaphragm is up, the upper valve 22 is closed, and the lower valve 2l. is open, and vice versa, connecting the bellows to the vaccum in the lwind chest through the diaphragm chamber and the passage illor to the outside air, as the case may be. lt will be noted that I use an elongated diaphragm which makes it possible to get suliicient pressure to actuate the valve with a very small width and to make the pneumatics oit single key width so that they cau be arranged one in the body ol each key. as described.

The bottom side, or moving` member 3S oil" the bellows swings about its iliorward end toward and from the top member o t plate l2 which in turn is rigidly connected lwith the key. Secured to this bottom plate 25S is an extension arm 39 which swings in a slot'et() in the end. ot the U-shaped iframe (l. This arm 39 is connected by an Vupright arm .ll with a swinging lever or plate #l2 the same being hinged at its lt'orvv'znd end to the top ot the trame (i intermediately ol the latter'. This plate LlQ, when `the player unit is quiescent, rests on a bracket or support 43 on the extension trame G oll the lacy. a leather or rubber pad el being` pre'lklrably interposed to prevent noise.

Then the piano is being operated by the pneumatic player, the openings in the tracker bar over which the perforated music roll is passed in the usual manner. are fonnected to the corresponding pneu matics by thev tubes showntragmentarily at 27. When any particular tube 27 is opened by having the aperturein the roll brought in registration with the corresponding,opening in the trackerbar, the outside air is admitted to the diaphragmchamber beneath the diaphragm, and the latter is thrown up against the tongue 17 causing the air escape opening 24 in the diaphragm to be closed by contact with the tongue,-which may be provided witha suitable rvalve or cover Under any circumstances, whatever the nature oty Vthe bleeder opening, the diaphragm is raised and raises the tongue,` opening the lower valve`2l and closing the upper valve 22 so that the bellows or pneumatic iscut oit :trom the outside air and connected to the vacuum in the wind chest 28,connection being trom the wind chest to the upper section of the diaphragm.chamberand via valve passage 2O controlledby valve 2i to the passage 34 which in turn leads tothe bellows. ,This con nection to the vacuum inthe wind chest con* tracts the bellows, lifting the lower plate 38 with the arm4 39, the upright rod 4l and the hinged arm 42 which has been resting on the bracket 43 rigid with the key extension]y frame 6. The wippen 4, being in immediate contact with the arm 42 is likewise raised,

causing the note to be played. In this connection the combination or" levers 39, 4l, 42 by which the motion ofthe bellows isl communicated to the wippen is considered ofr importance also the manner ot controlling the flow of air through the air escape or equalizer. It should be noted that while in the ordinary arrangement the bleeder opening is made small so that it is actuated by change or connections, as desired, it is never closed, the leakage of air being continuous so long as there is a difference' of pressure on the two sidesk of the diaphragm. rlhe present arrangement, in which a means for closing the bleeder opening is provided, saves the air which previously passed through the diaphragm during the operation ot the pneumatic and givesquicker recovery, because the means for closing the bleeder opening during the operation of the pneu matic makes it feasible to provide a'v larger opening with a quicker `flow of air and a quickei` recovery of the diaphragm, which -in turn provides for the playing oifrquicker repeat notes than withk the old. device.

K Villien the opening in the tracker bar is closed, outside air pressure is removed trom the diaphragm, which opening'` the bleeder, which immediately equalizes the pressure. dropping the tongue 1T, closing the lower valve 2]., and opening the upper valve 22, which in turn admits the outside air to the inside ot the bellows, and distende it, dropping the bottom plate 8 and the arm 39 and the wippen, until the arm 42 directly in contact with the wippen by the presence of the yout of the permits it to relax,`

restsv on the bracket 43 integral with the key trame 6. During manual playing the 4wippeny is directly supported upon the key trame or operating arm 4'2 resting directly upon the key trame, so that the manual operation of the piano by the keys is in no way affected Vpiano player apparatus. J

The removal ot the keys is an ordinary 7:3

manually operated `piano is known to be a very slighty undertaking; it is practically :only necessary to litt them up and withdraw themtrom beneaththe front board. When the present'p'layer is installed, one of the bottom boards beneath the keys is made removable, providing an opening 33 so that to remove 'a player unit it is only necessary to take the board from the opening 33, dis connect the rubber tube 32 and the tracker tube 27 and litt the key with the pneumatic piano in exact accordance with the old practice in removing the keys.

Ihave thus described a player embodying my invention, specifically and in detail, in order that the nature and operation of the device may be well understood and `those skilled in the art may be enabled to practice the invention; however, the speciilcterms herein are used in the descriptive rather than in the limiting sense, and the scope of rthe invention is defined in the claims:

a key a pneumatic unit, including a bellows,

`valve passages, valves and valve actuating means, and a support for the player unit rigid with the key, whereby the player unit and support form the rear portion ot .the key.

2. rlhe combination ot a piano action and key a pneumatic unit, including a bellows, yvalve passages, valves and valve actuating means and a support for the playerl unit integral with the key, whereby the lplayer unit and support form the rear portion of the key, a combination of levers connected to themoving vmember ot the bellows, one ot said levers engaging the wippen 'trom beneath and means carried by the key 'for communicating the key action to the wippen when the pneumatic player is inoperative. y

i 3. T'he combination of a piano action and l key the rear end of the key being in the Vform of a support ttor a pneumatic unit, a

:pneumatic nni'rA on said snpport in alignment with the key and taking the place ol Lilie rear end o the key as ordinarily construct4 ed, the pneumatic unit including a bellows, air passages7 valves controlling jshe passages? means or operating the valves and suitable connection means commnnicaling the motion el the bellows lo the eorrespoi'iding wippen and means carried by the key lor communicating the key niolrion to the chamber, air 'passages connecting lvlic bellon's to the outside air and io the diaphragm chamber7 the latter being connected on one side to lie "cracker bar and on the other side olf the diaphragm to the vwind chest, Valves Controlling said passages means Ylfor communicating che motion ol the diaphragm to the valves, an air escape opening in the diaphragm and a cover for said opening carried by said last named means.

7. The combination with a piano action and keys, ol pnelimaaic iinils, eaeli inclnding bellows. air passages, Val'\f'es, and :in elongated diapliragm lfor actuating same. the pnenmatics being each nionn'eed in the corresliionding key to move lierewitli.

8. piano key having a pneumatic unit wholly embodied therein lo move therewith.

Signed by me al Baltimoree lilaryland, this 6th day of May, 1919.

YV itnesses 1 EDWIN (l. SAMUELS, EMMA l/l/linji/iewiii. 

